Defying Gravity
by DeniBear
Summary: Rachel is fed up from the abuse she constantly faces from her peers so she finally stands up for herself. She transfers out of McKinley High and joins Vocal Adrenaline, where she gets involved with girl! Jesse St. James. Femslash/Mature Content.
1. Kiss Me Goodbye

**Defying Gravity**  
_Kiss Me Goodbye_

**Pairing:** _Rachel Berry x Girl! Jesse St. James_

**Rating: M** _(For Language, Sexuality and Heavy Angst)_

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own Glee. Seriously, why haven't Quinn and Rachel gone Canon already? I suggest we write angry letters. ;) _

**Summary:**_Right after Sectionals, Rachel Berry is fed up with the constant mistreatment she receives from her fellow peers and actually stands up for herself. The Gleeks find themselves feeling incredibly guilty by the end of her emotional rant and when Brittany attempts to soothe her, Rachel pushes her away and declares that she's thinking of resigning from the Glee club and transferring to a different high school which would meet both her academic and social needs. This secretly breaks everyone's hearts and they'll do anything to show her that she's important to them. Little do they know, they've lost her to Vocal Adrenaline and Jesse St. James. Manipulative! Possessive! (Female!) Jesse._

**A/N:** _I was in a seriously bad mood when I came up with this idea. I'm a huge Rachel Berry fan girl and it breaks my heart that she doesn't have any real friends. We all know she has an intense personality and can be overbearing but that's why I love her for it(I hope she never changes). I decided to come up with a little history as to why she acts the way she does and it all relates to the many years of abuse she's faced from everyone around her. Jesse is still manipulative but there are no ulterior motives when it comes to her relationship with Rachel; she truly loves her and goes out of her way to defend her and protect her from the other Gleeks. (She also has a shitty way of showing Rachel how much she loves her)The Glee club will learn that they don't know what they've got until it's gone. _

Rachel was in an absolutely irrevocable foul mood. No, she was certainly not preparing to throw yet another one of her infamous diva tantrums, but she was fairly certain that she was going to break down sometime soon if this horrible day didn't end already. She sighed wistfully to herself, knowing fully well that by the end of the day she would be heading home while sobbing uncontrollably onto one of her father's shoulders yet again. Sometimes she found herself wondering if God truly existed because by the end of each day, she felt abandoned and unloved by an entity she used to have so much faith in. When the Glee club improved dramatically after Finn Hudson and company joined, Rachel Berry's misery outside of the club only increased tenfold as well. There was so much unnecessary drama she had unwittingly created that she never realized how much of it she would later regret. It was physically painful and it broke her heart even more after she started caring about the fact that nobody liked her very much. Wait. That's an understatement. She rightfully believes that everybody loathes her for illogical reasons that she can no longer pretend to comprehend anymore.

The singer definitely doesn't want her mind wandering towards this direction anymore, she's already distracted herself from her role in Glee and it's making the other Gleeks stare at her like she's not supposed to be this vulnerable. She no longer finds the floor interesting and decides to chance a risky glance at every single member of New Directions. It was yet another big mistake on her part, her heart clenching at the sight of everyone laughing and enjoying each other's company, except hers of course. Rachel wishes she knew what it felt like to have a friend in her life. It was a foreign concept that she wants to familiarize herself with until suddenly, she starts berating herself for being so pathetic. She was untouchable, unwanted, and very, very unlikable. Why the hell did she deserve a friendship/relationship of any kind in the first place? The brunette should know by now that nobody would ever show interest in befriending her without having ulterior motives in mind. She actually flinched at the memory of Finn's selfish intentions when he attempted to convince her to join Glee again, which she once again inexplicably regrets. Tears begin to well up in her eyes and she's cursing herself for being so damn weak since she never once gave in to the temptation of exposing her susceptibility to others but this time, Rachel's walls are finally breaking and it feels so wrong.

Almost everybody in the choir room is unaware of the diva's normally obnoxious presence, which they're currently grateful for her silence, until Brittany takes notice of the sadness surrounding the usually talkative brunette. Her lips jut out into a pout and her brows furrow, wondering what could have made Rachel Berry so monumentally depressed. "Rachel, is something wrong? We won Sectionals, don't you think that's enough reason to turn that frown upside down?" She suddenly asked, her question evoking a choked sobbing sound to erupt from the tiny girl and that particular sound eventually earned everybody's attention. The singer inwardly groaned, disliking the fact that the blond Cheerio was perceptive when it came to people. The said girl would have been clueless if Rachel had been more careful but today, her usual defense mechanisms were no longer working properly. She knew if Brittany continued prying information out of her, she would be released from all her inhibitions and her insecurities would slip through her lips, giving four particular people in her group ammunition to degrade her further if needed.

"Why do you care? It's not like I matter anyway so please cease speaking to me immediately and pay attention to what you were doing before." Rachel replies softly, her monotone voice cracking as she spoke and the sadness and frustration she had been feeling for so long now were waiting to be unleashed mercilessly. The straight forward response shocked the members of New Directions but that didn't stop Brittany from expressing her concern for the girl since something was clearly bothering her. The tension floating around in the air only intensified because the short singer was so obviously frustrated that she had been rudely interrupted from her own thoughts. It was terrifying, really, because she looked so ready to tear Brittany a new one so everybody readily prepared to protect the Cheerio from an inevitable verbal lashing.

"Seriously, Berry, you look constipated or something and you're quiet. It's kind of uncomfortable. So quit beating around the fucking bush and tell us what's wrong already, attention whore." Puck pressed on, Brittany whipping her head around to glare at him for being so insensitive. The group laughed out loud anyway, ignoring the facial expressions crossing Rachel's face. She wanted to swallow her tears and courageously stand up to Noah Puckerman like she usually does, but today, his words are having a profound effect on her and it's killing her. Quinn abruptly stops giggling and gasps when she hears a loud cry escape Rachel Berry's throat. It's so loud and sorrowful that Quinn thinks that cry has been suppressed for far too long. The tiny girl is shaking violently, sobs wracking her entire body and while some were suspicious that this spectacle was yet another well rehearsed performance, they would find themselves feeling guilty much later on.

Mr. Schuester and Emma Pillsbury unfortunately walk in with smiles plastered on their faces until they're met with the sight of Rachel Berry breaking down in front of everybody. No one moves or says a thing at first because they're too shocked at the fact that their resident diva was displaying a weakness no one has ever seen before and it offends their hearts just a little bit. When Will makes the mistake to approach the girl, the brunette flails and hisses at him, ordering him to get away from her as she backs herself into the wall, sliding down to the floor until she curls into herself, crying even harder than usual. "Rachel, honey, what's wrong? Does anyone know what happened?" Emma asks, her doe eyes tearing up themselves because this was very unsettling for her, and she's certain that everybody in Glee feels the same way. The brunette scoffs rudely and a hiccup follows, which momentarily begins to calm the singer.

"They wouldn't even begin to know what it's like to be a Lima loser such as myself. I, unlike them, will never know what it's like to belong. What I'm trying to say in order to justify my current state is that…I'm very unhappy, Mr. Schuester, and although I've perfected a deceptive demeanor for the past few years of my life, it's time for me to come clean." Rachel confesses, silent tears flowing endlessly down her cheeks and it's just so unnatural to see the diva looking so fragile. Brittany is disheartened and she wants to cry along with Rachel but she simply clamps her mouth shut with her free hand as she's holding Santana's hand with the other. Quinn Fabray feels herself cringe when she processes the words Rachel Berry is saying and it feels like her heart is ready to plummet to the ground any moment now. Finn Hudson wants to desperately embrace her but he's afraid she'll shake him off like she did with Mr. Schuester. Mercedes, Kurt, Tina and Artie are slack jawed, willing themselves to comfort Rachel by remaining silent though they really wanted to comfort her verbally. As for the rest, Puck remained indifferent though he kept clenching his fists nervously as if he were waiting for Rachel to admit some form of sexual harassment that took place earlier. Matt and Mike were following suit.

"Can you explain what you mean, Rachel? You can trust us, we're here to listen and help because we're family." Will assured her, failing to maintain his confidence as the short singer scowled and rolled her eyes.

"I would be lying to myself and to all of you if I told you I believed that because it should be well known that I distrust you all. While it's true that all of you have become very close friends and civil to one another since Sectionals, you've all continued to exclude me from your activities and actively persecute me while I'm left feeling utterly humiliated and alone. Excuse me if I firmly believe that I remain an outcast in this so called family." Rachel calmly explained, waiting for the former tears to subside as she feels another tug in her heart that will threaten to break her. They need to know what they've done to her, to make her feel like the most unlovable human being on the planet. The Gleeks would probably think she's over-exaggerating but it would be of no surprise to her if they had forgotten what they've done to her when they were younger. She knew that she couldn't keep up the charade any longer because she was indeed a person with feelings yet they had disregarded that her entire life and only saw her as a social pariah and the burden of their existence. Rachel Berry was putting herself up on display, her walls crumbling down as she tries to explain why she's feeling so damaged and broken. In reality, who wouldn't feel this way after many years of torment and humiliation?

"Everybody hates me, and that is something I came to absolute terms with though it was excruciatingly difficult at first. During my high school career, I've dealt with childish name calling, being thrown into dumpsters, daily slushy facials that have me bringing a spare outfit to school every day because they simply will not stop, and pornographic renderings of myself amongst other things. You know what's ironic about being a part of this so-called family, Mr. Schue? Half of my tormentors are in this club and have found new ways to further humiliate me." The singer said darkly, tossing everyone else in the room a dirty look before turning her attention to the only adults in the choir room. The palpable tension only arose when something known as guilt began to settle within the students of New Directions, each looking at one another with concern etched in their facial expressions. Before one of them could interrupt Rachel, the singer simply dismissed them with a wave of the hand as she continued.

"I am perfectly aware that you all only tolerate me for my talent and only pretend to be my friend in order to motivate me to stay focused on overcoming any obstacle that involves the Glee club. I have reached my limits, however, because I'm finally cracking under the pressure you've all put me under. I know that I'm high maintenance and my personality makes it complicated for you to understand who I am so that's why you continue to harm me socially. I haven't always been this way and a part of each of you should know that but you obviously have forgotten." With that last part of her sentence, she whispered it as she closed her eyes, replaying memories of the worst childhood she wished she could reclaim. She didn't realized that she had been thinking and talking about certain memories at the same time until she heard a few gasps and the smacking of Noah Puckerman's arms. Rachel talked about how she didn't understand why people started hating her in the third grade but maybe it started because she revealed the fact she had two fathers. After that, Noah was the main bully that made it a sport to embarrass and hurt Rachel as she was constantly pushed onto the pavement of elementary school during recess, her lunch money was stolen on a daily basis, the athletic fifth graders purposely kicking a soccer ball towards her and knocking her out every other day. The girls were the worst, as they always have been towards other girls who were considered inferior, and Santana was the leader in making sure Rachel Berry was never happy wherever she went. And she wasn't, but everyday she came to school determined and seemingly eager to learn despite the consequences of simply being alive.

"I never broke down as much as I did in those years because my fathers assured me that I was the bigger person by never requesting a change of schools. Despite what you've done to me, I still wanted to befriend you all and I wanted to be strong as the abuse never stopped since then. It wasn't until middle school that I started building these concrete walls around my heart because I knew I would always be alone for the rest of my school years. I am the way I am now because I encouraged myself to push people away in order to make myself feel…safer, but that obviously didn't turn out so well because high school is hell. Even though I still aspire to become a Broadway star, friends didn't exactly matter to me until this year, I've never felt so alone before and it's painful to know that people would never like me unless they had ulterior motives in mind. Don't protest this, Finn Hudson, you know it's a fact." The brunette diva finished with a sigh, a few more tears escaping though she did nothing to stop them. Emma cautiously walked over to the younger girl and draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her in for a meaningful hug. Will Schuester remained deep in thought, concern for the girl increasing rapidly the more she expressed her feelings on this uncomfortable subject.

Quinn Fabray was the first to break the silence, cautiously taking a step towards the brunette though the singer wasn't opposing it very much. "Rachel, can you please stop talking about the past because it's already making us feel worse than before. If we had known how you felt…" Words failed Quinn at that exact moment, not knowing where the hell she was going with this. What could you possibly say to atone for all the sins you've committed to one person your entire life who was finally expressing how she felt about it all? Brittany and Santana walked over to where Quinn stood and they all stared at the short singer with glossy eyes. They felt like monsters, and perhaps they were. How could they possibly make up for it all? One thing they were impressed with was how long the girl lasted all by herself after all she's been through. She deserved better, and just because they thought she was annoying on occasion, she didn't deserve to be mistreated for that reason alone.

When Rachel Berry pulled out of the awkward embrace, the girl wiped a few tears away and squared her shoulders and put on whatever was left of her mask. She wasn't going to deal with this anymore, she had an announcement to make since this had been lingering in the back of her mind for quite some time now. Even though it felt wonderful to let out everything she had been holding back for so many years, it was time to continue the journey to happiness. "Don't worry about it, Quinn, you never have before so why should you bother now? Anyway, I'm doing all of you a favor that I know you'll be quite pleased with for the most part, though I suspect you'll only miss my talent. I've been researching different high schools in the area that would meet both my social and academic needs as well as the talent residing within me that would be properly nurtured by experienced show choir directors. What I am trying to say is that I'm considering leaving McKinley High, which means I have to resign from Glee as well. I'll be back by the end of the week with my final decision so don't celebrate just yet." Rachel Berry says confidently, a smile breaking across her face at the thought of finally leaving this school and for some reason that really doesn't sit well with anyone in the room. As Rachel gathers her belongings in the room, everybody rushes to assure her that she belonged with them, that she was going to regret this decision and many other things that the brunette diva happily ignored. When Brittany approached her and tried to pull her in for a bear hug, Rachel politely pushed her away though that left the Cheerio feeling sadder than she ever felt before.

"I thought we were friends." The blond cheerleader said, attempting to tone down the misery creeping over her. Rachel's bitter smile told her differently, and that's when the blond staggered backwards into Santana's arms.

"We were never friends, Brittany. Don't you remember that I don't know what it's like to have a friend? Well, I'm going to actively pursue that because I feel like I deserve some form of happiness that doesn't just involve singing." Rachel told her, the rest of the Gleeks listening to their conversation and though Rachel could never hear it, their hearts shattered because the moment the diva walked out of the choir room, they somehow felt like she had already made her decision. Maybe she had, maybe she hadn't but now they knew what it felt like to be abandoned by someone they cared about. They felt like real bastards at that moment because Mr. Schuester was still in shock from the unexpected announcement and now he was breaking out of it with anger and disappointment. He shot up straight from where he was sitting and kicked the chair over, which slid over to where Ms. Pillsbury was currently standing. He tossed the sheet music he was holding in his hands over at the kids and furiously ran his fingers through his hair.

"What the hell is the matter with all of you? Haven't we discussed so many times before in the past that we're supposed to be a team? We just possibly lost one of our best singers and although you're all too reluctant to admit it, you lost a friend indefinitely! This needs to be fixed. Now!" He yelled, pacing back and forth while everybody remained uncomfortable from the sight of their teacher losing his mind. Courageously, Kurt stepped up and glanced around the room in order to observe the sullen looks on everybody's faces. They did, in fact, just lose a friend because if it were the exact opposite, they would have carried on with their previous activities and conversations as she ranted. They were disappointed with themselves and because of what she just announced, the guilt finally settled within them all. Rachel had every right to want to escape the hell she had endured her entire life.

"Maybe when she returns, we should have a surprise party waiting for her. We should all, like, give her gifts and welcome her back with a song that shows how much we care about her. Rachel is our friend, but we have to admit, we had a really crappy way of showing her that she meant a lot to us." Brittany says, her brilliant idea sinking into everybody's minds as they nod their heads, vehemently agreeing to what she had suggested. Will finally cracked a small smile, and it only widened when Emma placed a hand on his shoulder and pressed her lips against his for a just a quick second. Brittany gathered them all into a small group as they huddled together, discussing things that they should bring, what songs Rachel would enjoy, and what kind of cookies to bake for Rachel since cookies made people feel better. They all laughed pleasantly for the first time, everyone doing their best to convince themselves and each other that they could bring Rachel back to her senses. Little did they know, they've already lost her to Vocal Adrenaline and Jesse St. James, but for how long?

* * *

Rachel didn't feel like she was betraying New Directions or McKinley High as she stood outside of the double doors that led inside to one of the most prestigious schools in Lima that housed one of the most talented show choir groups she had ever known; Vocal Adrenaline. She had definitely done her research and her fathers were willing to transfer her to this school if she was truly interested in going and when she checked out the competition every other day when she could, the diva certainly wanted to be apart of this group more than anything. Her social status would remain neutral and she would no longer remain at the bottom of the social ladder. No more slushy facials, no more dealing with ridiculous dating drama, and she would no longer have to deal with the fact people only liked her for her talent, and not her personality. She was willing to change anything as long as it wasn't too much; if there's anything more unpleasant than being a Lima loser it was being a stranger to herself. As Rachel entered the building and studied the environment, the more her heart soared at the idea of attending this school as an entirely different person than she was forced to be at McKinley High.

Rachel was trying to relocate the auditorium and she wasn't paying much attention to the people walking by her until she felt her body collide with another. Her face had gone red, several different emotions running through her as she felt her heart shrink a little on the inside at the thought of already becoming the social pariah at a different school. The lilting voice she heard profusely apologizing to her told her differently, however. "Oh, I sincerely apologize! I was rushing out of the library and I totally didn't see you there. Are you alright?" The kindhearted voice asked, pausing to inhale sharply as the girl gave Rachel Berry a not-so-innocent once-over. The brunette furiously blushed as she realized the beautiful girl standing before her was the ever so famous Jesse St. James, the female lead belonging to Vocal Adrenaline. She had beautifully deep cerulean eyes, slightly thin but luscious lips, a strong jaw line and prominent chin complete with impeccable dirty blond locks that shone brilliantly underneath the available sunlight reaching the hallways…Rachel found herself swooning at the sight before her, though she thought it was strange because she was another female.

"You're Jesse St. James from Vocal Adrenaline, am I correct? It's a pleasure to meet you, I am…" Rachel began nervously before she was interrupted by the excitable girl extending her arm out as well to greet the former Glee club diva.

"Rachel Berry, I know, you're with McKinley High's New Directions. I was there at Sectionals checking out the competition when you blew me away with your performance of _Don't Rain on My Parade_. Granted, you lacked the emotional depth Streisand had but you're talented as hell. What brings you here, little one?" Jesse asked playfully, a sexy smirk playing with her lips that left Rachel trembling with intimidation. Since when the hell did she ever feel intimidated by anything other than loneliness? She exhaled a deep breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and awkwardly coughed when she tried to regain her composure. Sure, she had a long, troubling week but that was no excuse to make a fool out of herself in front of the most talented person in Lima, Ohio.

"I'm here on a mission, actually. Clearly, New Directions has a lot of potential to become even greater than before but I feel as if I'm not appreciated there anymore. I'm thinking of transferring over to this school, mainly for academic and social purposes, but I'm also hoping that maybe Vocal Adrenaline would have room for one more, perhaps?" Rachel said in one breath, observing the pleasant reaction from Jesse that left her feeling relieved and hopeful. Jesse was positively beaming at this point, not only at the possibility of gaining yet another talented singer that would guarantee their win at Regionals, but definitely another really cute girl to eventually conquer and claim as her own. The short singer was definitely her type; long, beautiful dark hair, twinkling chocolate brown eyes, and pair of really kissable thick lips. If Jesse thought the girl was sexy in that black dress she had worn at sectionals, the girl was definitely pulling off this cute little outfit she had worn. Argyle and Knee-Hi Socks would quickly become her next favorite things.

Jesse took Rachel's hand and lifted it up to kiss her knuckles before interlocking their fingers together. "Come on, I'll show where the auditorium is. Shelby, our instructor, will definitely be pleased with you as a newcomer. And if you're ready now, we'd definitely like to see you audition before any serious decisions are made. How does that sound?" She asked, hope clearly lacing the tone of her voice and Rachel felt a warm feeling overcoming her, now familiarizing herself with the fact that somebody was eager to simply be in her presence. The diva nodded and smiled a brilliant smile that seemed absolutely genuine. The two young girls skipped over to the auditorium where the rest of the members of Vocal Adrenaline were patiently awaiting their young star's arrival. When Shelby noticed Jesse walk in with Rachel Berry in tow, the woman raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Everybody gasped when they recognized the shorter singer, but they said nothing as they made their way towards the stage and Shelby. Jesse took a deep breath and pushed Rachel forward so she could introduce her to Shelby but her instructor spoke first. "Rachel Berry, McKinley High's very own talented diva. I'm Shelby as you may already know and although I suspect you're probably checking out the competition for Regionals so you can tell your dysfunctional friends all about it, it's nice to actually meet you." The woman spoke sharply and quickly, obviously tactless when it came to expressing honest opinions but Rachel didn't mind since that reminded her of how she was as well.

"Hello, ma'am, it's actually quite an honor meeting you. Contrary to your belief, I actually have a request and Jesse seems intrigued by the idea. It's a major possibility that I may be transferring over to this school and I was hoping that I could become a part of Vocal Adrenaline once I do. I'll audition if you need me to, and I already have _Defying Gravity_ in mind." Rachel blurted out, wanting to continue until Jesse gently placed a finger on her lips, smiling at how cute the shorter singer was when she rambled. Shelby's eyes widened at the revelation, but then a small smile overcame her previous disapproving features. Rachel Berry exposed her talent to the world during Sectionals, and Shelby was honored that the short girl was interested in pursuing a better environment and if she thought that was being in Vocal Adrenaline, then Shelby will give her a chance. This would only monumentally increase their chances to win Regionals anyway.

"I'm certain that your director, Mr. Schuester, wasn't too enthusiastic with the idea of you leaving them, but considering the types of freaks they have in that group, you're better off with Vocal Adrenaline, honey. Okay, I've already seen what kind of potential you already have but my kids are feeling lazy today so entertain us. Show us what you've got that Mr. Schuester and company refuse to appreciate." She replied, falling into her usual seat and ordering her students to leave the stage so Rachel Berry could prove herself to them. There was excitement buzzing in the air and the short singer could feel it and it only encouraged her further. So this was what it was like to be slightly admired before truly showing off her talent to anybody new to her. Rachel could get used to this.

_Something has changed within me, something is not the same._

_I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game._

_Too late for second-guessing, too late to go back to sleep. It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap!_

_It's time to try defying gravity, I think I'll try defying gravity and you can't pull me down..._

It became obviously clear that the abundance of Rachel's talent also came with the demanding presence she held on stage and it was absolutely mesmerizing. As the short singer continued to belt out the lyrics passionately, she felt her heart swell from the fervent response she was receiving from the members of Vocal Adrenaline and she couldn't help but feel a little smug. These were incredibly talented students and they were watching her with awe as they wondered how a tiny girl such as herself could hold so much power. By the time Rachel reached the end of the song, everybody had already begun whistling and applauding the young girl as the girl clutched onto her heart for dear life. She had never felt so anxious for approval before but this…it was absolutely wonderful and it made her happy.

Jesse was staring at her like a piece of meat but Rachel assumed that look was simply out of respect and she returned the same brilliant smile she displayed earlier to the girl. That only provoked Jesse to grin at her wickedly and before she could say anything, Shelby stood up from where she sat and everybody in the auditorium glanced up at her curiously and hopefully. Rachel would definitely become another excellent asset to the team and the girl just held so much explosive power that ought to belong to Vocal Adrenaline rather than New Directions. "That was impressive, Rachel Berry, and although I recommend a little touching up and more movement as you sing, I have to say that there's definitely a spot open especially for you. I mean, if you decide to transfer to this school that is and if you really want it…" Before the older woman continued, Rachel interrupted eagerly.

"I'm already yours. By the end of the week, I'll no longer be a student at McKinley High and I will rightfully belong in Vocal Adrenaline where I fully believe that my talent will nourish along with the rest of you. Thank you so much!" Rachel replied, bouncing up and down in place while the other members shouted and congratulated her with joy. Shelby merely smirked and excused herself to pick up a few things Rachel was definitely going to need if she were going to be a part of Vocal Adrenaline. After most of the members introduced themselves to Rachel, Jesse pulled the shorter girl aside before anyone else could capture her attention. "You were terrific, Rachel. I doubt anyone else has ever said that to you and meant it like I do. This looks like the beautiful beginning of an interesting…friendship, don't you think?" Jesse suggested, waggling her eyebrows for effect.

Rachel blushed and ducked her head for a moment before she gathered the courage to stare right into the eyes of Jesse St. James. "Would you like to hang out sometime, you know, and do something together? Anything would be just fine with me." She asked uncharacteristically shy, waiting for a harsh rejection that never came. Instead, Jesse picked up one of her hands again and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles before winking and nodding.

Rachel didn't know this, but she may have just signed her soul over to the devil. She will come to realize who her true friends really are and that she's capable of being truly loved by someone who really cares for her. Will Jesse St. James remain that person?

* * *

**A/N:** _Originally, this was supposed to be a one-shot but it would have been too long like the other one I recently posted. I'm not sure how people will react to this, but I had to get the anxiety out of my system. This story will deal with minor emotional abuse within a relationship and Rachel's strength will be tested. How will the other Gleeks react? Eventually, this might potentially become Quinn/Rachel at the end. I'm not entirely sure though. I hope you enjoy and thank you for reading.  
_


	2. Together, It Doesn't Feel Right at All

**Defying Gravity**

_Together, It Doesn't Feel Right At All_

**Rated: M** _(For Language, Sexuality and Angst)_

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own Glee._

**A/N:** _After watching Bad Reputation, I decided to change a few things in this story. While I said this story would deal with abuse (emotional, not physical), it'll only be temporary because Jesse is intense and she doesn't know how to handle her serious relationship with Rachel at first but they'll learn together how to make it work. Quinn and the Gleeks managed to piss me off a lot in this episode so I'm thinking this will not become Rachel/Quinn after all, but a potential friendship is possible. Ugh. I was also listening to Together by Avril Lavigne and the lyrics perfectly describe Rachel's feelings about Glee. This chapter mainly deals with their reactions of her departure so thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. ***EDIT:** I messed up the first time I uploaded this. All mistakes are mine.*  
_

It had been seven days since Rachel stepped foot in McKinley High, and though her presence was rarely acknowledged, the members of New Directions actually noticed that not only had she been absent from Glee, but school as well. Today would be the day that she would be making her return and this was their only opportunity to show the girl how much she meant to them. Noah Puckerman was reluctant to participate, however, claiming that the diva was simply being a drama queen and she would have gotten over whatever was bugging her by now. During lunch, Brittany humiliated the football player by gathering all the Cheerios she knew to slushy him for being such an insensitive asshole, and those were Santana's words. The Latina knew she shouldn't encourage Brittany's optimistic belief that Rachel would return to Glee by throwing her this party because it wouldn't do any good. When the brunette set her heart onto something, it would be difficult to sway her from any of the decisions she would be making to achieve her goal. The Cheerio couldn't deny Brittany's requests though because she loved her and she knew the girl had good intentions. Maybe that would be enough to persuade Rachel to stay…

Rachel Berry, however, was thinking quite differently as she sat quietly still in the passenger seat of Jesse's car. On her lap, she'd been holding the papers she needed her teachers to sign and the only signature she needed before turning them in was from Mr. Schuester. She sighed, obviously quite anxious because there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that was telling her this would be a very complicated departure. Jesse placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed, "If you'd like, Rachel, I could accompany you. You said you were going to say goodbye through song and I could assist you if there's any trouble." The energetic singer was staring at Rachel Berry with hopeful eyes, thinking that she could at least catch a brief glimpse of what belonged to Rachel's past. The brunette turned her attention to the only friend she'd ever come to known and politely smiled before shaking her head.

"Believe me, Jesse, it would be in your best interest if you do not set foot in that school because you'll be tainted forever once you do. It's a cesspool that swallowed me whole the moment I began my freshman year here and the quality of my life lessened each day since then until this very moment. Thank you for the offer." Rachel replied sadly, unlocking the door and unbuckling her seat belt before stepping out of the vehicle. Jesse sighed in defeat, desperately wanting to understand why the shorter girl hated McKinley High so much. She knew whenever Rachel spoke of her past, she would look so heartbroken and defeated, and that broke something inside of Jesse as well. She'll do whatever it takes to protect Rachel, and despite her growing attraction to the girl, she wasn't going to allow selfish motivations to prevent her from doing the right thing. Sitting here and waiting for the girl to return was definitely not the right thing to do so without second guessing herself, Jesse stepped out of her car and followed Rachel's path towards the school the brunette deemed as her own personal hell.

By the time Rachel reached the choir room, the door was closed and she could hear the Glee kids singing happily together and that alone wrenched her heart. When she opened the door and walked right in, however, they all abruptly stopped singing and welcomed Rachel with a well rehearsed enthusiastic greeting. They were well dressed in certain uniforms that reminded the girl of some of their best performances. Tina was smiling brightly at her in her 'Push It' outfit, Two Cheerios and a former one sporting their dresses from Sectionals, Mercedes and Kurt dressed in the 'Don't Stop Believin' costumes while the rest varied from 'Somebody to Love' to 'It's My Life/Confessions.' Mr. Schuester's smile was the first one to falter, however, because Rachel didn't look pleased. In fact, her lips were twitching in order to frown but she forced herself to remain neutral.

"Welcome back, Rachel. As you can see, we obviously missed you. Where have you been all our lives?" He asked playfully, hoping that it would break the ice since Rachel was glaring at each and every one of them spitefully. This was absolute garbage. She was less than impressed and as she hovered above a table filled with trays of colorful cookies, one particular cookie caught her eye and it was a care bear shaped one covered in pink, yellow and red frosting. There was a sticky note on the table, obviously written by Brittany, and it told her that the blond remembered what her favorite colors were. What surprised Rachel at that moment was the fact she felt absolutely nothing as she glanced over the note and over to Brittany. It meant absolutely nothing to her since this was obviously the cheapest way to buy someone back into a little pathetic club. They only wanted her talent, and nothing else. The brunette sighed and closed her eyes, taking a moment to absorb what the Glee club had been wanting to do to gain her talent back.

Instead of trying to strike up a conversation with any of them, which left them all feeling confused and nervous, Rachel walked up to Mr. Schuester and thrust the papers into his hands. "I'm officially resigning from the Glee club, there's a formal letter stating exactly what my reasons are for leaving, aside from the major reason being that I finally transferred out of McKinley High. I also need your signature since you are indeed my Spanish teacher and I have to turn these in before I'm allowed to enter the other school. Please make this quick as I have a song I'd like to sing as a personal goodbye to all of you." Rachel said in a cold, heartless tone. Her jaw was clenched, and her eyes were slightly narrowed. Irrational anger had quickly built up within her ever since she entered the room, and it only intensified as she observed everybody's reactions. Of course this was going to be complicated; Rachel Berry was never allowed a break. This wasn't supposed to happen, they were all supposed to willingly let her go since she didn't mean anything to any of them.

"What the hell? You do realize you're making the biggest mistake of your life, Berry. Yeah, things haven't been easy but we're all friends here. You're important to us." Noah tried to reason with her but failed miserably as he watched Rachel's nostrils flare repeatedly. She attempted to calm herself down before she spoke but it was impossible because childhood memories began replaying once again in the back of her mind and she had to let him have it. Finally, too, because it was about damned time she told each of these kids off. They made her believe she was a loser her entire life so why shouldn't she jump at the chance at making them feel guilty for what they had done to her?

"How am I important to anyone in this group, especially you Noah Puckerman!? You only dated me that week just to get into my pants though you grew irritable with the fact I refused to put out to a Neanderthal such as yourself. We were honest with each other and I offered you friendship and predictably you turned me away, just like everyone else did." Rachel told him through gritted teeth, stepping away from the silent, solemn football player. He hung his head down in shame, remembering that he quickly went back to picking on the diva right after they broke up. Puck usually had a witty remark prepared but today, he just didn't have it in him to respond to her. Truth be told, he was only doing this so Santana and Brittany wouldn't bitch at him. Now that he knew that Rachel was definitely leaving permanently, he wanted nothing more than to convince the girl into staying with the Glee club. She belonged with them, but she couldn't see that anymore because they hadn't shown her how much of a friend she was to them. Despite the obstacles that the girl faced, she tried to overcome them but she couldn't do it alone and no one gave her a chance. This was their punishment and it certainly hurt like hell.

Kurt Hummel stared at Rachel warily for a second before speaking, knowing that he probably didn't have a good chance at convincing the girl to stay but he wanted to try anyway. "Listen, Rachel, we're nothing without you and I don't just mean your talent. Your personality is what makes you who you are and although we're irritated with you most of the time, we just wouldn't be a Glee club without our own resident diva by the end of the day." The other students nodded in agreement but that did him no good. Rachel was angrier than she was before so she glanced over at Mr. Schuester to see if he had signed the papers yet, which he hasn't, so the girl growled with annoyance and responded to Kurt.

"It shouldn't be too difficult to _replace_ me though, would it? I have to say, I'm flattered that you insult me while trying to persuade me to stay with New Directions though there is no reason for me to anymore. Before anyone else speaks by the way, don't think I haven't armed myself to the teeth with knowledge of your wrongdoings." Rachel warned, turning her attention to Mr. Schuester and asking if he could please sign the papers already before she reported this to Mr. Figgins. She was interrupted by Finn Hudson, who walked over to her with a sad, pathetic expression written on his face. This only infuriated the tiny diva, she couldn't stand being around these people anymore. Finn, who stood up for her on many different occasions, was a complete idiot and she felt stupid herself for thinking that he could ever keep up with her. She wanted something challenging and Finn, well, he was just too simple.

"Come on, you can't leave us just because we all did some bad stuff to you. I'm sure there's a way we can make it up to you somehow. All I know is that I'm sorry for what I personally did to hurt your feelings, Rachel." Finn told her, encouraging the group behind him to do the same as well. Everybody simultaneously apologized to the short singer, with the exception of Quinn Fabray who stared at her with a shocked expression on her face. She couldn't believe that Rachel Berry was actually leaving the school and that wasn't going well for her at all. Was this what they all had reduced her to? She angrily waddled over to Rachel Berry and slapped her hard across the face, which wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do while attempting to kiss ass. Everybody in the room gasped, Brittany almost in tears because this wasn't going the way she had originally planned.

"Jesus Christ, Rachel, I never would have expected you to be so weak. We get that you're pissed off at all of us, but is this how you really want to go? You're abandoning the Glee club and that sure as hell isn't a respectable quality. You've held your head up high all these years and put up with more crap than any of us and now is the time you want to bitch about it?" The words that were spewing out of the ex-cheerleader's mouth were sinking in and Rachel was horribly offended. She thought that she was being a coward. Was she also assuming that she was just escaping responsibility that she felt she didn't owe to New Directions anymore?

"You have a lot of nerve, Fabray. I don't expect anything from any of you because you honestly think _'I'm Sorry'_ is going to automatically excuse you all from committing those terrible crimes to me all throughout my life? Do you honestly believe an apology is going to win me over after all that you put me through? I AM A HUMAN BEING, QUINN, WHY AM I BEING DENIED A CHANCE TO PURSUE HAPPINESS FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE?!" Rachel screamed the last sentence, causing a few people to flinch a little as they gawked at the diva, the explosive rage the tiny girl had been suppressing for far too long discouraging them from contributing to the conversation. "I assure you, I am not abandoning the Glee club when it was the Glee club that has abandoned me. You all have been holding me back for far too long now, is it so wrong of me to desire a healthier environment where I'm treated like a person rather than an object used to win competitions!? I deserve better than that." The brunette finished, tears streaking across her face. Quinn was once again speechless, not knowing how to respond to Rachel after that.

"I've made my share of mistakes, many of them attributing to the drama I created during the journey to Sectionals and I've apologized countless times and I've tried to make up for them but you all still push me away. I no longer feel connected with any of you, and I haven't for awhile now, not since the _Keep Holding On_ performance and I would like to express my goodbye to you all. I will not be bound by you any longer because being together has made me fall apart." Rachel says calmly, before handing the music sheet over to the pianist who looked incredibly uncomfortable this entire time. When the sad music begins to play, Rachel walks over to the stage and stares at each individual in the room as she sings.

_Something's just isn't right, I can feel it inside. The truth isn't far behind me, you can't deny…_

_When I turn the lights out, when I close my eyes, reality overcomes me. I'm living a lie…_

_When I'm alone, I feel so much better! And when I'm around you, I don't feel… together!_

_It doesn't feel right at all, together! Together we've built a wall, together holding hands we'll fall,_

_hands we'll fall!_

Brittany was sobbing into Santana's shoulders at this point, feeling worthless because her plan to bring Rachel back to her senses backfired and her heart burst at the sight of Quinn and Rachel squaring off. They were supposed to be friends, they were supposed to be a family, they were supposed to be everything else but this. Rachel was singing the last few lines of the song, turning her head away from everybody else in the choir room. This was horribly awkward, but it needed to come out and it felt good to finally be honest with everybody about how she felt. She thought about many of their performances together and sure, they had fun performing but being on the end of constant mistreatment lessened her interest in the Glee club. Half of them were responsible for coming up with such nicknames as Man-Hands, Treasure Trail and Stubbles, and some were responsible for slushy attacks, dumpster tossing, and other forms of public humiliation. She was just sick of it all –no, she was sick of them all, and she felt like this would be doing the right thing; leaving, and no one was going to question her for it anymore.

She stood there on stage, hugging herself tightly because she needed to be held, even if it meant comforting herself when no one else would. "Do you honestly feel like that, Rachel? I thought everything had been going well for everyone after sectionals-," Will was interrupted, eyes clearly glazed over because he was so tempted to cry in that moment. Another figure burst into the choir room, nervously laughing as the strange girl ignored the depressing vibe in the pointlessly decorated room. "Rachel, oh my God, I got worried about you so I tried following you into this cesspool of a school and then I got lost. Some poor asshole out there was pinned against the lockers and this dick of a jock dumped some kind of beverage over his face. It was freaking awful…Rachel? Are you okay?" Jesse asked, finally realizing that she had just walked in during an uncomfortable moment. She quickly made her way over to the short brunette, enveloping the girl into a tight, comforting embrace.

"Excuse us, miss, you're not supposed to be in here unless you're a member of New Directions." Will said, steadying his voice as he said this, but the girl didn't respond until a few seconds later. "Huh, no wonder I smelled failure. Is this some kind of cheap setting where you try to convince this amazing girl that she belongs in your club?" The blond sneered, shooting a death glare over at Will as she took in the setting surrounding her. She instantly felt dirty, making a mental note to jump in the shower when she got the chance after all of this was over. Santana growled at the trespasser who unknowingly offended Brittany some more.

"Who are you and what is your relationship with Rachel exactly?" Quinn suddenly asked, her brows furrowed at the sight of the strange girl rubbing soothing circles on the diva's back. What gave that…_bitch_ the right to speak to all of them like that without knowing who they were? Jesse St. James pecked Rachel Berry on the cheek before walking down the steps, looking around and checking out the competition for regionals. She wasn't impressed and she decided to gloat a little bit, teasing them for losing their only chance at winning anything anymore to Vocal Adrenaline. "The name's Jesse St. James, I'm the female lead for Vocal Adrenaline. You must be William Schuester, the douche bag Shelby was telling us about. I hope she got the bitter taste of you out of her mouth." The choir director paled immediately, thankful that Emma wasn't in the room listening to what she just said. Rachel joined Jesse on the floor and together, their fingers interlocked and Quinn was suddenly very annoyed that their former star was allowing Jesse St. Cunt insult their leader like that.

"What do we have here, Rachel? Tell me these Gleeks aren't serious about competing in Regionals. I mean look at them, there's a clearly irresponsible pregnant teenager on the team, a cripple who has the potential of killing any mood New Directions is trying to set, and a retarded looking blond who's obviously responsible for this mess of a party. Seriously, do you think Rachel would fall for this crap? She's better off in Vocal Adrenaline, where she's respected not only for her talent, but as a person as well. She's made an excellent addition by the way." Jesse dropped the bomb right when Santana was ready to launch herself at the snobby bitch until she implied that Rachel had joined Vocal Adrenaline…was she just fucking with them or was she absolutely serious? The furious Latina felt her jaw drop to the floor at the news, her fists unclenching as her eyes, including everybody else's, darted over to Rachel Berry. She wasn't denying anything. That couldn't be right…

"Is that true, Rachel? Did you just ultimately betray us by joining Vocal Adrenaline or is she lying? Please tell me it's the latter because I don't think I could handle that right now." Mr. Schue said, running his hands through his hair, desperately trying to grasp onto the reality of the situation. Rachel's lips formed a thin straight line, looking up at Jesse who was definitely getting off on the misery that could be felt in the air. The diva sighed and nodded, taking a quick glance around the room before speaking.

"I'm not betraying any of you. I am simply pursuing a better education and healthier environment over at Carmel High School while my talent is being nourished by not only a fabulous and experienced show choir director but by an amazing team of students who share my similar dreams of being great. Excuse me, once again, for wishing eternal happiness to finally being bestowed upon me." She replied briskly, squeezing Jesse's hand though the other girl didn't mind as she was far too busy enjoying the looks on several of her competitor's faces. It was delicious…

Finn exploded. "How could you do that to us, Rachel? You're heartless, you know that!? You joined Vocal Adrenaline, and you know how hard we've been working to become better than them and you're off gallivanting with them like a whore-," His rant was cut off when Jesse loudly whistled and snapped her fingers a few times.

"Hey Frankenstein, show some respect! You know, I didn't think Rachel had it this bad until I experienced it first hand and by God, I will not let any one of you hurt her anymore. Watch your mouth, buddy. Rachel, you know they're only pissed because they lost the most talented singer they'll ever come across, right? They know you were their only chance at winning Regionals, and they don't like you, remember? They only want you for your talent and their frustration is proof that they'll never like you for anything more than that." Jesse whispered into Rachel's ears, the smaller girl pouting and leaning into Jesse as if she were her lifeline. She already knew those facts but hearing them actually being said made her heart clench painfully. "It's their loss but our gain. You're extremely talented, Rachel, but you're also a pretty neat girl to be around." Jesse finished, running her fingers through dark chestnut locks.

They could hear loud protests in the background, but the only thing Rachel focused on was the sound of Will scribbling his signature on the papers she threw at him. He had a few tears running down his face, jaw clenched, but he remained silent as he handed Rachel her property back. Things like "You can't let her do this, Mr. Schuester!" and "You've got to stop her, she belongs with us!' could be heard and it only added even more weight on Rachel's shoulders though she would ignore that feeling and interpret it later. She roughly took back the crumpled papers and muttered an insincere thank you before she and Jesse made their way towards the door. Rachel stopped for a moment, however, and turned around only to catch a glimpse of a truly horrible mess. "Mr. Schuester, I hope this teaches you a valuable lesson. That lesson is if you teach your students to rely on the most gifted member of the pack, you really don't have much faith in them to pull their own weight and you aren't doing your job. We'll see you at Regionals and good luck." With that said, Rachel and Jesse stormed out of McKinley High with heads held up high as their hands remained locked in place with one another's.

When they reached Jesse's car though, that's when Rachel almost broke down again. She looked over to Jesse in the driver's seat and whimpered. "I know we haven't known each other long, so I apologize for unloading all of this onto you. You certainly don't deserve it, but thank you so much for being there for me. I-I am so very sorry Jesse if this makes you question our friendship." Rachel began crying softly again and Jesse immediately pulled over to the side of the road, unbuckled her seat belt and pulled the sad girl onto her lap and held her close as she tried to comfort her the best she could. It was true that they hadn't known each other long but Jesse was too smitten with the girl to turn her back on her when she needed somebody in her life to make her feel like she belonged. The blond cooed in her ears, telling her that everything would be alright and that she promised to make the brunette feel a lot better by the end of the day. She didn't know how Rachel survived but she admired the girl for her incredible strength and will to carry on. Jesse knew that Rachel was vulnerable right now and she would do everything she could to be the friend the diva needed now more than anything else. She assured herself that though they would start off as friends, things would quickly escalate into becoming something more. The two girls had quite a bit in common, and with the both of them being the female leads of Vocal Adrenaline, it would make sense if the two became more than friendly with each other. A romantic relationship was inevitable, but for now, she settled for an "innocent" friendship.

"Rachel, how about I invite my friends over to hang out with us at the roller rink tonight? Chantal and Holly, the twins from our group, they'd definitely get along with you. What do you say, babe?" Jesse asked sweetly, enjoying the lit up expression overcoming Rachel's features. She definitely needed a pick me up and a night out at the roller rink sounded like the perfect distraction. "Jesse, that sounds wonderful. Thank you!" Rachel exclaimed, burying her face into the crook of Jesse's neck. The other girl was just smiling with devilish flair, blushing as she felt the brunette's warm breath tickling her skin. This was going to be good night, she would be determined to make it so.

* * *

They were skating over at the local roller rink near Rachel's home and the two girls were currently awaiting the arrival of Jesse's best friends. Jesse was enjoying the sight of a happier looking Rachel Berry because the girl was wearing a shorter skirt than usual, rainbow knee-hi socks complete with a fitted white camisole and rainbow gloves and rainbow suspenders. She was looking super cute this evening and it was all because Jesse convinced her to go out with them tonight. "You were right, Jesse, I'm actually having fun tonight. I needed this distraction more than anything, I truly appreciate everything you've done for me." Rachel shyly confessed, her toes curling over and over again from the inside of her skates. Her companion only winked and smiled brilliantly in response. "I expect the favor to be returned you know." She playfully added, before they were greeted with the sounds of two girls loudly calling for their attention.

Two identical looking girls slammed their bodies against Jesse, which nearly sent all three girls over the edge of the wall behind them. The twins and Jesse were laughing uncontrollably, smoothing over their outfits before turning their attention to a bewildered Rachel. Chantal and Holly were also apart of Vocal Adrenaline, and not only were they extremely good-looking, but they were excellent dancers as well. "Hey, Rachel, I'm sure you remember both of these lovely sluts. Chantal is the creepy ginger wannabe and Holly is the she-hulk." Jesse joked, provoking the twins to smack her arms at the same time. Rachel giggled, realizing why Jesse was teasing these girls mercilessly. Chantal was a gorgeous red head, though not a natural one like Emma Pillsbury was, and her sister was muscular though not as exaggeratingly so; her arms were toned and she definitely looked like she was capable of knocking out Noah Puckerman.

"Thanks for the kind re-introduction, St. James. It's nice to see you outside of Vocal Adrenaline, Berry. I have to be honest, for a girl your size you certainly know how to blow people away with your voice. Tell me, what inspired you to start singing?" Holly asked, taking a swig of her water bottle before crushing it on Jesse's head. The two girls fought for a few seconds before they returned their attention to a stunned Rachel Berry. Nobody ever asked her for details of her personal life, she usually had to force herself to talk about it and for once, she actually felt good about sharing this kind of information with someone who truly wanted to know. The girls spent a good twenty minutes discussing music, theater, future goals and their personal lives before Jesse convinced them to actually start skating again. "Hey, you kids have fun for a little bit while I go order all of us some pizza. Don't let these bitches corrupt you, Rachel." Jesse warned, smiling gently before skating away in the opposite direction.

The twins were skating alongside Rachel, their arms interlocking with each other's as though they have been friends for years. "It's official, Holly, I think we should keep Rachel all to ourselves! Don't tell Jesse, though, she'll get insanely jealous." Chantal said, all three girls beginning to separate from themselves. Holly smirked at her twin as Rachel threw both girls a confused look. What did she mean by that statement? Before she could get any answers from them, she suddenly felt Holly's body press up against her from behind, her arms wrapping securely around Rachel's waist while Chantal was dragging the both of them forward across the rink holding Rachel's hands. She wasn't sure what was going on but then she saw Jesse carrying a tray full of drinks over to a table until she saw the position all three girls were in. Her brows noticeably furrowed as she gasped but that wasn't a good idea; she got so distracted by the sight in front of her that she spilled a drink on her shirt and before they knew it, Jesse was setting down the tray angrily. The twins burst out laughing, all three of them rushing over to their clumsy friend.

"Jesse! Oh here, let me get that for you." Rachel offered, grabbing a few paper towels nearby as she proceeded to dry the irritable girl standing before her. The diva didn't notice how Jesse immediately tensed when her palms were practically massaging her breasts though the singer didn't think of it like that. The blond, however, turned a dark shade of red as she glared at her best friends, who continued laughing at her. They eventually quit and offered to get a replacement drink so they scampered away, leaving Rachel to molest Jesse unknowingly. "I-I think I'm good, Rachel. Thank you for the help." Jesse managed to squeak out and the brunette left her palms on the other girl's breasts for a moment, bashfully murmuring that it was no problem. Her blond companion had to clear her throat a few times to get the shorter girl to notice that she was still kneading her breasts. It was the diva's turn to turn red as she ducked her head in embarrassment, causing Jesse to let out a playful giggle.

After the twins returned, the girls spent another thirty minutes eating and discussing important topics with one another and Rachel was pleasantly surprised that each of the girls valued her strong opinions on certain things. This was the first time she actually felt like she belonged somewhere and she couldn't have been happier. One thing that still lingered in the back of her mind, however, was how the students from McKinley High wanted to prevent her from finally feeling good about herself. She didn't regret her decision for leaving at all. This was paradise.

Across from where Rachel and her new friends were sitting, they didn't notice a very pregnant Quinn Fabray and two of her own friends sitting at their own table silently as they watched the girls interact with Rachel. Santana couldn't stop herself from glaring at Jesse St. James with intense hatred while Brittany looked over at Rachel with a sad, concerned facial expression. Quinn was disappointed with Rachel. All three girls were getting a bad vibe from Jesse St. James and the ex-Cheerio was actually worried about the girl since Rachel easily clouded her own judgment sometimes. There was something about that Jesse character that didn't sit right with her and she didn't like it. Maybe if things had been different, that could have been all four of them instead. Quinn sighed, knowing that Glee would never be the same without Rachel and their chances at Regionals plummeted though she honestly found herself not caring about that very much. "Come on, let's get out of here. We're only making this hard for ourselves and we'll look like creepers stalking Rachel." Quinn said after a few more minutes of watching Rachel. The girl looked actually happy in her own element, and she briefly wondered if she had the chance, could she be able to make the girl smile and laugh like Jesse did?

* * *

**A/N:** _I had to get this out of my system before I forget to update. I'm going back home on the 11__th__ *Squee!* so I wanted to update my stories before I left town. It's going to be more comfortable working on my own computer again. I hope you guys don't mind a few original characters added into the story or the slight changes I'll be making. I don't think this came out the way I wanted but I would really appreciate honest opinions. You guys are amazing, and I love reading your reviews. I may not be writing this the way all of you want it to be written, but I'll try my best to please everyone. Note: If anyone is curious, I picture Gabrielle Christian from South of Nowhere playing Jesse; despite different personalities, Gabby has the look for Jesse. And Jesse is supposed to be selfish when it comes to Rachel and cruel when it comes to mistreating the Gleeks.  
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